Folding machine



Jan. 27, 1942. 'J. R. OLIVER FOLDING MACHINE Filed Sept. 1 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 27, 1942. J, QLIVER 2,270,963

FOLDING MACHINE Filed Sept. 16. 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 2?, 1942. J. R. OLIVER FOLDING MACHINE Filed Sept. 16, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Jan. 27, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT o'FFIcE FOLDING MACHINE John R. Oliver, Beverly, Mass., assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application September 16, 1940, Serial No. 356,968

22 Claims.

This invention relates to folding machines and more particularly to machines for folding the margins of flexible sheet material and is illustrated as embodied in a machine arranged to fold binding strips secured to one face of a piece of sheet material, around the edge thereof.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a folding machineof the continuous feed type which is simple in construction and includes continuously acting folding and fold-pressing instrumentalities which assist in the feeding of the work.

In accordance with one feature of the invention, the margin of the work is folded by a constantly rotating ring-shaped folder which engages the margin of the work as it is fed by the folder. The work-engaging surface of the folder is provided with helically arranged grooves which cooperate with a constantly rotating driven feed roll to assist in the feeding movement of the work. The fold is pressed, in accordance with a further feature of the invention, by the action of a plurality of balls which are caused to travel in a path over the folded margin of the work and. which are rotated during their movement in such a direction that they also assist in feeding the work.

In folding a binding strip attached to one side of a piece of material, around the edge thereof, it is desirable to wipe the binding outwardly from its point of attachment to the work so that it may be folded around the edge thereof tightly by the folder. To this end and in accordance with a further feature of the invention, a small diameter roll is associated with the feed roll and is rotated at a somewhat greater peripheral speed than the feed roll, this small diameter roll being provided in its work-engaging surface with helical grooves which act on the binding to wipe it outwardly from its point of attachment to the work for presentation of the binding to the folder. By reason of its small diameter, this roll does not hinder the turning of the work which is necessitated when folding around curved edges.

The work is guided in accordance with a further feature of the invention by a continuously rotating member associated with the feed roll and arranged to engage the inner edge of the binding strip adjacent to its point of attachment to the work, this member being of small diameter so that it will engage only a small portion of the work at a time and will not hinder turning of the work when folding around curved edges.

These and-other features of the invention will now be described in detail and illustrated in. the drawings, in' which Fig. 1' is a front elevation, partly in section, of one form of machine embodying the present invention; e h

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the folder illustrating the driving and supporting means there for; Y

Fig. 3 is an end elevation, partly in section, illustrating the work-engaging members of the machine; T

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the folder illustrating the shape thereof;

Fig. 5 is a detail view illustrating the connections by which the fold-pressing means and the creaser-foot may be raised away from the feed roll;

Fig. 6 is a vertical section illustrating the feed roll, the wiper roll, and the guide member associated therewith, this section being taken on the line VI-VI of Fig, 7;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken .on the line VIIVII-of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a vertical section taken on the line VIIIVIII of Fig. 1;

Fig. 9 is a vertical section through the foldpressing means;

Fig. 10 is a front elevation of the fold press'er;

Fig. 11 is an enlargeddetail'view illustrating 'a piece of work having a binding strip in the 12 provided with a detachable end portion M.

The end M of the arm I2 is secured to the arm by a-nut l6 (Fig. 6) threaded on a stud I8 secured within the arm. l2 by a binding screw 20 (Fig. 3). Secured to the base In by screws 22 is a head 24 having an arm 26 extending above the arm I2.

The work is fed through the machine by a feed roll 28 rotatably mounted on an enlarged bearing portion 30 (Fig. 6) of the stud l8, the feed roll having internal teeth 32 (Fig. '7) by which rotation is imparted to the feed roll. A gear 34 engages the teeth 32 of the feed roll, this gear being mounted on the outer end of a shaft 36, the other end of which is rotatably mounted for engagement with a piece of work W (Fig. 11)

inwardly of a binding strip B. In order to wipe the binding strip in a direction outwardly of the work from its point of attachment thereto, a

small wiper roll 44 having a helical groove inthe periphery thereof is arranged to engage the binding strip. This roll is mounted on a pin 46 (Fig. 6) one end of which is supported in the arm I2 and the other end of which is supported in a ring 48 surrounding the hub of the roll 28 and secured by a screw 50 to the arm I2. A pinion 52 integral with the roll 44 engages the teeth 32 within the roll 28 to cause rotation of the roll 44 as the feed roll is rotated. The ratio between the number of teeth 32 of the feed roll and the number of teeth on the pinion 52 is such that the wiper roll 44, the diameter of which is relatively small compared to that of the feed roll, has a higher peripheral speed than that of the feed roll so that a definite wiping action is imparted by the wiper roll to the binding B during the feeding of the work by the feed roll.

The work is guided during its feeding movement by a guide roll or disk 54 integral with the wiper roll 44 and extending slightly above the surface of the feed roll 28. The disk 54 is arranged to engage the inner edge of the binding strip adjacent to its point of attachment as ind cated in Figs. 11 and 12. This guide disk 54 is constantly rotated with the wiper roll 44 during the feeding of the work and thus any frictional resistance between the guide means and the work is minimized. The diameter of the wiper roll 44 and the disk 54 is relatively small compared to that of the feed roll as pointed out above and this permits ready turning of the work when folding around curved edges without material resistance being offered by the wiper roll and the guide disk since only a small portion of the work is engaged by these members at any one time.

The upper arm 26 is substantially U-shaped when viewed from the left end of the machine as indicated in Fig. 3. A ring-shaped folder 56 is supported by the right-hand leg of the arm 26, this folder having helically arranged grooves 58 (Fig. 4) in its work-engaging surface, the grooves being arranged to assist the feed roll 28 in feeding the work through the machine. The folder 56 is supported from the arm 26 by a plate 60 which is mounted for horizontal adjustment transversely of the direction of feed of the work. For this purpose the plate is provided with a boss 62 (Fig. 1) extending through a slot 64 in the arm 26. A screw 66 is threaded into the boss 62 and is provided with flanges 68 and I embracing opposite sides of a bracket 12 extending laterally from the arm 26. Thus rotation of the screw 66 causes movement of the folder-supporting plate 60 relative to the arm 26 to adjust the position of the folder relative to the work. Screws I4 passing through slots in the arm 26 are threaded into the plate 60 and provide means for lock- I ing the plate relative to the arm.

The folder 56 is maintained against rolls I6 journaled on studs T1 in the plate 60 by rolls 18 having grooved peripheries to receive the folder. The rolls I8 are mounted on bell crank levers 80 pivoted on studs 82 in the plate 60, the rolls 18 being urged toward the rolls I6 by springs 84 fastened to the plate 60 and engaging the ends of the bell crank levers remote from the rolls 18. The rolls I6 and I8 thus provide two points of support for the ring-shaped folder which is also supported between driven rolls 86 and 88, the roll 86 being provided with a rubber surface yieldingly to engage the folder 56 and this roll is mounted on a shaft 90 (Fig. 8) journaled in an intermediate portion of the arm I2. The shaft 90 carries a worm gear 92 which receives power through a worm 94 from the drive shaft 36 so that the roll 86 is driven continuously during the operation of the machine. The roll 88 is grooved as indicated in Fig. 8 partially to receive the folder 56 which is thus gripped between the rolls 86 and 88. The roll 88 is mounted on a stud 86 and carries a gear 98 which engages a gear I00 rotatable with the roll 86 so that the roll 88 will rotate simultaneously with the roll 86 and a: the same speed to cause rotation of the folder 5 The folder bends the binding strip against the adjacent'surface of a creaser foot I02 provided with a work-engaging roll I04 (Fig. 11) which presses the marginal portion of the work downwardly to maintain the binding strip in engagement with the wiper roll 44. The creaser foot has an upwardly extending shank portion I06 tFig. 3) which is received in a recess in an arm I68. The shank I06 is counterbored to receive a spring IIO which acts between the arm I08 and the creaser foot to urge the creaser foot downwardly. A screw II2 cooperates with a reduced portion of the shank I06 to limit up and down movements of the creaser foot.

After the folder 56 has folded the binding strip as indicated in Fig. 11, the folded binding strip is pressed against the upper surface of the work by a presser member which now will be described. The presser member comprises (Figs. 9, 10 and 12) a plurality of balls II4 mounted in a ballrace formed between plates H6 and H8 (Fig. 9) secured together by screws I20. These balls have a lower run through the race which is adjacent to and rearwardly of the folder 56 and transverse to the direction of feed of the work. These balls are driven in the direction of the arrows (Figs.

10 and 12) by a driven worm I22 the grooves of which conform to the balls II4 so as to impart the desired motion to the balls. The worm I22 is journaled on a pin I24 mounted in the lower end of the plate I I8 and receives power from a similar worm I26 through an idler gear I28 journaled on a boss I30 extending laterally from the plate II8. Upon rotation of the worm I22 the balls move in the direction of the arrows in Figs. 10 and 12 and at the same time the rotation of the worm imparts to the balls a rotative movement in a direction at right angles to the path of bodily movement thereof to assist the feeding of the work by the feed roll 28. The balls are of such size that one ball will engage the binding strip before the previous ball has moved out of engagement therewith so that there will always be at least one ball in engagement with the work. Thus the pressing mechanism is always continuously operating on the binding strip and assists in the feeding of the work. In view of the small area of contact at any instant between the work and the pressing mechanism, turning of the work to facilitate folding around curved edges is not hindered by the pressing mechanism. It should be noted that the balls move abruptly away from the work at the completion of their pressing movement, thus permitting a great amount of clearance around theoperating portion of the machine to facilitate presentation of the work thereto and control of the work through the machine.

The worm I26 which drives the worm I22 is mounted at the lower end of an inclined shaft I34 (Fig. journaled in spaced bearings I36, I38 and I40 of a frame I42 which carries the presser member and the arm I08 which supports the creaser foot. A gear I44 secured to the upper end of the shaft I34 between the bearings I38 and I40 meshes with an idler gear I46 (Fig. l) which transmits power to the gear I44 from a gear I48 pinned to the drive shaft 36; The gear I46 is journaled on a shaft I50 mounted in the head 24 of the machine. This shaft also forms a pivotal support for the frame I42 supporting the creaser foot and the presser mechanism to permit lifting of these members away from the feed roll 28. For this purpose, the bearings I 38 and I40 are formed at the upper ends of the arms of a U-shaped member I52 journaled on the shaft I50. The frame I42 is rotated about the shaft I50 to lift the work-engaging member carried thereby, by depressing a treadle rod I60 (Figs. 1 and 5) against the force exerted by a spring I62 acting on a collar I64 secured to the rod. The upper end of the treadle rod is secured to one end of a lever I66 pivoted on a stud I68 threaded into the left leg of the arm 26 (Fig. 3), the other end of the lever I66 being pivotally secured to the frame I42 by a pin I10. The pin I is received by a slot H2 in the arm 26 to limit movements of the frame I42 about the shaft I50. The spring I62 actingon the treadle rod I60 permits the fold presser and the creaser foot to yield upwardly in accordance with the thicknes of the work being acted upon.

In the operation of the machine, the treadle rod I 60 is depressed to elevate the fold presser and the creaser foot whereupon a piece of work is presented to the machine with the inner margin of the binding strip engaged by the guide roll 54. The operator then releases the treadle rod to permit downward movement of the creaser foot I02 and the fold presser mechanism whereupon the creaser foot maintains the strip secured to the margin of the work in engagement with the wiper roll 44 and also provides a surface against which the folder 56 folds the binding strip. As the work progresses through the machine, the binding strip is wiped outwardly from its point of attachment so that it will be folded tightly around the edge of the work and immediately following the folding of a portion of the binding strip, the balls II 4 which continuously move transversely to the path of movement of the work press the binding strip downwardly against the upper surface of the work. The motion imparted to these balls and the grooves in the work-engaging surface of the folder both tend to assist the feed roll 28 in feeding the work through the machine. The small diameter of the wiper roll 44 and the guide roll 54 and the small area of contact between the fold presser and the work permit easy manipulation and turning of the work as it i fed through the machine so that the operator has complete and accurate control over the path of movement of the work at all times.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a machine for folding edge bindings, folding means, means for feeding a piece of work to one side of which an edge binding has been secured past said folding means, said feeding means comprising a feed roll arranged to engage the side of the work to which the edge binding has been secured, inwardly of said binding, and means acting on saidbinding during the feeding of the work positively to wipe the binding outwardly from its point of attachment to the work for presentation to said folding means.

2 In a machine for folding edge bindings, folding means, means for feeding a piece of work to one side of which an edge binding ha been secured past said folding means,'said feeding means comprising a feed roll arranged to engage the side of the work to which the edge binding has been secured, inwardly of said binding, and a helically grooved roll cooperating with said feed roll to wipe the binding outwardly from its point of attachment to the work for presentation to said folding means.

3. In a machine for folding edge bindings, folding means, means for feeding a piece of work to one side of which an edge binding has been secured past aid folding means, said feeding. means comprising a feed roll arranged to engage the side of the work to which the edge binding has been secured inwardly of said binding, and a helically grooved roll cooperating with said feed roll to wipe the binding outwardly from its point of attachment to the work for presentation to said folding means, said helically grooved roll having a relatively small diameter compared to that of the feed roll.

4. In a machine for folding edge bindings, folding means, means for feeding a piece of work to one side of which an edge binding has been secured past said folding means, said feeding means comprising a feed roll arranged to engage the side of the work to which the edge binding has been secured inwardly of said binding, a small helically grooved roll cooperating with said feed roll and arranged to engage the binding to wipe it outwardly from its point of attachment to the work for presentation to said folding means, and means for driving said helically grooved roll from said feedroll.

5. In a machine for folding edge bindings, folding means, means for feeding a piece of work to one side of which an edge binding has been secured past said folding means, said feeding means comprising a feed roll arranged to engage the side of the work to which the edge binding has been secured inwardly of said binding, a relatively small helically grooved roll adjacent to said feed roll and" arranged to engage the binding to wipe it outwardly from its point of attachment to the Work for presentation to said folding means, and means for rotating said helically grooved roll at a higher peripheral speed than that of said feed roll.

6. In a machine for folding edge bindings, folding means, means for feeding a piece of work to one side of which an edge binding has been se cured past said folding means, said feeding means comprising a feed roll arranged to engage the side of the work to which the edge binding has been secured inwardly of said binding, a small helically grooved roll adjacent to said feed roll and arranged to engage the binding to wipe it outwardly from its point of attachment to the work, an internal ring gear carried by said feed roll, and a pinion connected to said helically grooved roll and arranged to be driven by said ring gear during the rotation of said feed roll, the ratio of the number of teeth between the ring gear and the pinion being such that the helically grooved roll rotates at a greater peripheral speed than that of the feed roll.

7. In a machine for folding edge bindings, folding means, means for feeding a piece of work to one side of which an edge binding has been secured past said folding means, said feeding means comprising a feed roll arranged to engage the side of the work to which the edge binding has been secured inwardly of said binding, a guide cooperating with said feed roll and arranged to engage the binding near its point of attachment to the work, and means acting on said binding during the feeding thereof by the feed roll positively to wipe the binding outwardly from its point of attachment to the work.

8. In a machine for folding edge bindings, folding-means, means for feeding a piece of work to one side of which an edge binding has been secured past said folding means, said feeding means comprising a feed roll arranged to engage the side of the work to which the edge binding has been secured inwardly of said binding, a guide cooperating with said feed roll and arranged to engage the binding near its point of attachment to the work, and a helically grooved roll at the opposite side of the guide from said feed roll and arranged to act on the binding to wipe it outwardly from its point of attachment to the work.

9. In a machine for folding edge bindings, folding means, means for feeding a piece of work to one side of which an edge binding has been secured past said folding means, said feeding means comprising a feed roll arranged to engage the side of the work to which the edge binding has been secured inwardly of said binding, a helically grooved roll adjacent to said feed roll and arranged to act upon the binding to wipe it outwardly from its point of attachment to the work, and an annular rib projecting outwardly from the edge of said helically grooved roll adjacent to said feed roll for engagement with the inner edge of the binding.

' 10. In a machine for folding edge bindings, folding means, means for feeding a piece of work to one side of which an edge binding has been secured past said folding means, said feeding means comprising a feed roll arranged to engage the side of the work to which the edge binding has been secured inwardly of said binding, and means for guiding the work, said guiding means comprising a guide roll the diameter of which is relatively small compared to that of the feed roll, said guide roll being arranged to engage the inner edge of the binding adjacent to its point of attachment to the work.

11. In a machine for folding edge bindings, folding means, means for feeding a piece of work to one side of which an edge binding has been secured past said folding means, said feeding means comprising a feed roll arranged to engage the side of the work to which the edge binding has been secured inwardly of said binding, means 12. In a folding machine, means for feeding a piece of work to be folded, and a ring-shaped folder arranged to form a fold in the edge of the work as it is fed thereby, said folder being provided with helically arranged grooves in the work-engaging surface thereof to assist the feeding means.

13. In a folding machine, means for feeding a piece of work to be folded, a ring-shaped folder arranged to form a fold in the edge of the work as it is fed thereby, said folder being provided with helically arranged grooves in the work-engaging surface thereof to'assist the feeding means, and fold-pressing means arranged to act on the work as it leaves the ring-shaped folder, said foldpressing means being arranged further to assist the feeding means in feeding the work.

14. In a folding machine, a driven ring-shaped folder, means for feeding a work piece with the edge thereof in engagement with said folder, the work-engaging surface of said folder being provided with helically arranged grooves arranged to assist the feeding means, and a creaser foot cooperating with said folder for determining the line of fold.

15. In a machine for folding edge bindings, means for feeding a piece of work to one side of which a binding has been secured, said feeding means comprising a feed roll arranged to engage the side of the work to which the edge binding has been secured inwardly of said binding, a

. driven ring-shaped folder arranged to fold the binding around the edge of the work, said folder being provided in its work-engaging surface with helically arranged grooves to assist the action of the feed roll, a creaser foot for engagement with the work and cooperating with said folder to determine the line of fold, and a small roll opposite the creaser foot for engagement with the binding adjacent to its point of attachment to the work, said small roll being provided with helical grooves for wiping the binding outwardly. of the work toward the folder, and means for driving said small roll.

16. A folding machine comprising work-feeding means, folding means cooperating therewith to fold the edge of a work piece, said folding means comprising a ring-shaped driven member, a creaser foot cooperating therewith against which the work is folded by said folding means, and means for supporting said folding means for adjustment toward and away from said creaser foot.

17. In a machine for folding edge bindings, means for continuously feeding a work piece to which an edge binding has been secured, continuously acting means for pressing the binding strip against the side ofthe work opposite that to which the binding strip is secured, and means for drawing the binding tightly around the edge of the work prior to engagement thereof by the pressing means.

18. In a machine for folding edge bindings, a feed roll for supporting and feeding a piece of work to the margin of which an edge binding has been secured, means for drawing the edge 4 binding tightly toward the edge of the work for guiding the work, said guiding means comfrom its point to attachment thereto, and continuously acting means for pressing the edge binding upon the face of the work opposite to that to which it has been secured, said lastnamed means being arranged to assist the feeding action of the feed roll.

19. In a machine for folding edge bindings, means for folding a binding strip around the edge of a work piece, and means for pressing the free edge of the binding against the body of the work, said means comprising a plurality of balls, a raceway in which said balls are arranged to be moved progressively over the binding strip in rolling contact therewith and then abruptly away therefrom, the work-engaging portions of said balls being spaced so that there is always at least one ball in contact with said binding.

20. In a machine for folding a binding strip, one edge of which has been secured to a work piece adjacent to the edge thereof, means for folding the binding strip around the edge of the work piece, means for pressing the free edge of the binding strip to the side of the work piece opposite that to which it has been previously attached, said pressing means comprising a plurality of balls movable successively across the binding strip, means for feeding the work past said pressing means, and means supporting the binding strip for the action of said balls con structed and arranged to wipe the binding outwardly from its point of attachment to the work. 21. In a folding machine, work-feeding means,

' folding and fold-pressing means, said fold-presswork and in a path across the path of movement of the work, and a worm in driving engagement with said balls and operating to rotate the balls during said movement in a direction to assist the feeding action of the work-feeding means.

I JOHN R. OLIVER. 

